Where to stay in Anaheim, California

Image via Wikipedia

Anaheim, California is a major destination for families around the world, with Disney World as the main attraction, and it can prove costly to go there unless you plan your trip well in advance. Even if you are on a budget, you don't have to settle for a room far away from the main event. There are often various price categories around a touristy area and Anaheim is no exception. As it is a very family friendly destination, they know and understand that many of you are on a budget. Decide what you require of the hotel, whether it has to be within walking distance of Disney World, what facilities, car parking etc. and start looking up a few places on the Internet.

A way of keeping the costs down during a holiday is to use the same chain all the time and so collect points which you can later trade in for a free night’s accommodation. There are for example numerous hotels within the Choice hotel group in Anaheim, and they are fairly cheap. If you are staying in hotels a few nights a year, then this might be a way to decrease the overall cost of accommodation.

Here are a few of the budget hotels that I would recommend in Anaheim:

1. Quality Inn and Suites Anaheim resort ~ this 2 star hotel is within walking distance to Disneyland and has all the amenities that you would require. With a price a good bit below $100 it is a great option if you are looking for something simple. Hotel amenities include outdoor pools, guest laundry, free continental breakfast, discounted attraction tickets, tour packages, gift shops, coffee shops, parking, and free local calls. The rooms have air-conditioning, direct-dial telephones, and TVs with cable.

2. Americas Best Value Inn and Suites ~ another 2 star hotel within a block from Disneyland. Hotel amenities include hairdryers, microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, workstation desks, and internet access. There are complimentary continental breakfast, guest laundry facility, fax/copy services and an outdoor swimming pool. Their prices range from $53-$90.

3. Best Western Anaheim Inn ~ this 3 star hotel is located just across the entrance to Disneyland which makes it a perfect place to stay if you are going to Disneyland. You might even be able to see the fireworks from the hotel. Amenities include coffee maker in the room, pool, fitness centre and spa, television with cable and ample parking. Prices are around $100.

4. Ramada Inn Maingate ~ another hotel chain which is located close to the entrance to Disneyland. It hasbeautiful rooms and a nice pool. Their amenities include complimentary continental breakfast with a local daily newspaper. The hotel also has ice/vending machines, 24-hour front desk, express checkout, free parking, gift shop and laundry/valet services. Each room has a microwave, refrigerator, air-conditioning, AM/FM clock radio, coffeemaker, iron/ironing board, hairdryer, High Speed Internet, and cable television. Prices are around $100.

There are plenty more budget hotels around Disneyland and the above was only a few of them. If you join a chain, then you might get even greater value and get to know a hotel better. In a popular place like this, a hotel that didn't live up to standards wouldn't be able to compete with the other accommodations so they all have similar facilities, rooms and extras.

Related posts:

• Where to stay in Las Vegas.
• Have you heard of Hotwire?
• How to avoid paying Ryanair's credit card fees.
• Where to find a good car rental.

5 amazing countries to visit

Most of us have favourite places which we return to frequently, or places that we dream of going to. What make a town, country or even a continent special to me, might be exactly what you hate about that place. It is very individual and it is a perfect subject to start a debate here on the blogg. Below I will start off by listing my top 5 countries and explain why they made it to my list. I will of course love comments on the matter and perhaps get your input as to what countries should be in the top five.

1. Sweden - it has to be up there as it is my home country and in all honesty, isn't too bad of a place to be living in. Naturally, the weather could be a bit milder, the winters a lot less dark but on the whole, it is an easy life, that feels rather secure. There are plenty of things to see and do, many of which I'm sure I will be mentioning in other posts. The people are friendly and it isn't at all as expensive as you think it is.

2. New Zealand - the land of the Hobbits, the Maoris and the amazing nature. If ever there was a heaven on earth, I would like to think it is here. Whether you go glacier walking, canoeing or sailing the Marlborough Sound, you will love this place.

3. Thailand - a favourite beach retreat when the European weather just doesn't do it for you. Miles of miles of sandy beaches, cocktails, Thai food and friendly people is all you require. If you feel a bit adventurous, there is always the potential to go trekking and sightseeing up north. The list of sports that you can enjoy is endless and it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg to try it either.

4. Australia - what a country and what a continent. You will find most of what you need down under. The people of OZ are friendly and good natured, the climate variable depending on where you are and there is always an adventure around the corner. This is a place to go sightseeing, do trekking and canoeing or why not try the outback for a while.

5. Ireland - as I currently reside here, I could not leave it off this list. I came here because I was fascinated by the history, the scenery and the people. Although it has changed a lot in recent years, there is a beauty here that is hard to forget. The weather makes it hard to see through the grey, cloudy curtain that hangs over the islands more often than not, but if you do, you will be surprised at it's beauty and tranquility.

Related posts:

• Where to go in Thailand.
• What to do in Poland.
• What to see in Ireland.
• Top 5 destinations in Australia.
• Top 5 capitals in Europe.

Where to find cheap flights

Image via Wikipedia

Cheap flights are available from many vendors and there are a few options to search for these. We all want a bargain flight and with a lot of research on the Internet, you might just be lucky.

So, one of the first things to do after you have decided that it is time to take that next trip is to book your flight. As this often is one of the more expensive parts of travelling, it is important to find a good deal. Where would you buy your tickets? Do shop around but more often than not the following conclusions are worth taking into consideration so that you don't have to spend too long finding that bargain.

1. If you are travelling within Europe andRyanair will take you to your destination, it is without a doubt the cheapest option to book with them directly. That is if you buy your ticket well in advance, mind you not too far away though as that can prove expensive too, don't travel with baggage and hold a VISA Electron. Travelling with Ryanair deserves a few blogs on its own so I will return to the subject.

2. If you are planning a trip further afield, then it will be cheaper to go trough brokers or travel agents rather than buying directly with the airlines. Shop around little but as there aren't that many good cheap sites out there, it won't be too much work. The standard brokers that I would use are Expedia, Ebookers, Lastminute and Gohop. There is one Irish agent however that always come up trumps for me and that is Travelpaths. I have booked many of my flights with them simply because they offer me value for money.

3. There is a 3rd option to consider if you don't mind being kept in the dark about the flight operator etc and that is to go and check out Hotwire. Hotwire provides flights, hotels and car rentals cheap but the snag is that you don't find out all the details until you have actually paid. I haven't yet tried it for flights but the hotel option works brilliantly.

Do you have any other recommendations? I would love to find out...

Related posts:

• How to avoid paying Ryanair's credit card fees.
• Why only one piece of hand lugguage?

Road trips; why is road tripping so great?

Image by tricky ™ via Flickr

Road trips conjure up a feeling of freedom and adventure. It is not something you do everyday, but plan for and anticipate for months. Great road trips are the ones that you have dreamed of driving, talked about and read extensively about. They are roads that have been driven before, but will still feel new and exciting. To go on a great road trip is one of lives best moments.

Road trip planning:

Before venturing out on a road trip you need to plan the trip. There are plenty of great road trips around the world and the first step is to decide where to go. The most famous ones are the great American road trips, but there are a lot of other drives. Narrow your search down to a specific country and a specific area. Depending on the duration of the trip, more than one area can be included.

Read up on the route, the sight and the possibilities of accommodations, car rentals and the weather. Even though one of the best things about road tripping is that you don’t need to plan too much ahead, it is still advisable to plan an itinerary and to book a few nights accommodation from home. Don’t over-do the route, you will find sights along the way and you probably won’t have as much time as you think.

Before you go, let people at home know where you are going and give them a rough plan of your trip. It is always comforting to know that you will have family and friends looking for you if you get lost.

Hitting the open road:

The road is yours, take it. There is no greater feeling than hitting that open road and knowing that you have made it, that you are on your very own road trip. Be aware that as a road tripper, you are in charge. The car will take you anywhere you want to go and you will be experiencing impulses as you pass interesting sights and smaller roads that lead off the beaten track. Go with flow, enjoy it to the fullest and don’t follow your pre-arranged plan too rigorously. A little detour is nearly mandatory.

Give yourself time to take in the sights. Driving all day isn’t great and you will miss out on so much if you pass out on all the stops along the way. Take a break for a day and do something else before you head back to the open road. Sometimes the unplanned stops will be the most memorable.

Why is road tripping so great?

Once you have been on a road trip, you will know the answer to that question. It truly is an experience of freedom. You are one with the car and together you will venture out on a long adventurous journey. As you drive along the planned route you will have plenty of time to soak up the surrounding atmosphere, scenery and sights. If you change your mind, there is no hassle. You just pick up your map and re-route your trip a little or a lot.

One of the greatest American road trips has to be Route 66 and perhaps there is no greater freedom for a road tripper that to cruise along this historic land mark. All other road trips around the world have a hard act to follow. Wherever you decide to go though, you will nevertheless be one with the car and steer your own adventure in the direction that is of your liking.

Related posts:

• Amazing road trips; Las Vegas to Grand Canyon

Backpacking in Europe - what to pack?

You are all excited about the trip, you have it all worked out and in your mind you are already on your way. Then you think of that big hurdle, the necessity that you have to do before you go and your enthusiasm dwindles. Well, packing can be bad but if you are organized and know what you are going to do on your trip, it shouldn't be too hard.

Start with your bag. It's the most important friend you have on the trip. You will be depending on this bag day in and day out and in all kinds of weather. The best thing to do is to by a proper backpack which fits your body size and has all the extras that will make the bag so much more comfortable. Choose a backpack that is big enough to fit your things but small enough so you can carry it for a few kilometers. Once you have the backpack, you are one step closer to your holiday.

Before you start putting things into the bag, write a list and place all the items on the bed. When packing a backpack you should place heavy stuff at the bottom and lighter stuff on top so that the bag won't drag you backwards. But first things first, start with the list and write down things you think you need and then you cross them out as you put them in the bag.

1. Necessities; Passport, travel documents, travel insurance, visas etc. Place all important documents in a plastic map so that they won't get destroyed. Hugely important is money and credit cards. Medicines if you have any, aspirins are always good to have. You will also find that maps and guide books are a necessity. Write down important phone numbers to family and friends, to your insurance company, hotels and embassies.

2. Clothes; Bring a pair of sturdy walking shoes, flip flops and sandals, light trousers and shorts. A few T-shirts and a couple of sweaters are necessary. Underwear, socks and PJ`s. A wind and rain proof jacket and a sun hat. Bring a pair of sunglasses too.

3. Toiletries; Bring only what you really need. Soap is lighter than a shower gel for example. Bring the 2in1 shampoo rather than 2 different bottles etc. Leave makeup and perfume at home. Bring a first aid kit and a sewing kit too.

4. Useful things; Sun lotion, mosquito repellent, a book (you can normally swap yours for another in hostels so no need to bring more than 1), a torch, your camera, mp3 player, a water bottle, a pocket knife, tin opener, fork, spoon and knife. Washing powder which works in cold water.

Once you have packed everything in the bag you might find that you have some spare space. If you feel tempted to put another pair of sweaters or jeans in the bag, don't. You have what you need, and the extra luggage will weigh a lot and the likelihood of you needing the extra items is slim. Often you buy things during your travels and then the extra space will come in handy.

Related posts:

• How to avoid paying Ryanair's credit card fee
• Have you heard of Hotwire?